Machines such as, for example, wheel loaders, motor graders, agricultural tractors, and other types of heavy equipment have a variety of tools attached to and controlled by the machine's operator. These tools can be relatively complicated and difficult to operate. Each tool may have a different operator interface with numerous controls for position, orientation, and other associated features and functions.
When an operator is new to a machine, the process of learning and mastering the function of each of the controls may be time consuming and frustrating. Often, training for the new operator involves nothing more than trial and error, or significant amounts of time spent with an operating manual. Trial and error, however, can be inefficient, increase operator mental workload, and add to frustration during machine operation. Utilizing the manual, although effective in some situations, may provide little help if the manual is written in a language foreign to the operator.
One alternative method of acquainting a new operator with a machine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,389 (the '389 patent) issued to Calvin et al., on Sep. 6, 1994. Specifically, the '389 publication describes a control system for a glass forming machine. The control system includes a touch screen monitor having menu driven software, which permits configuration of the glass forming machine. A help button is provided with each screen displayed on the monitor. Pushing this help button can produce a display in which a text balloon is drawn that includes information concerning the function of a particular button on that same screen. For example, when a console operator pushes the help button and then another button on the same displayed screen such as a “Graphic Display” button, a corresponding text balloon is displayed on the screen. The text balloon points to the graphics display button and informs the user of the function of this particular button.
Although the help button feature of the '389 patent may provide some of the training necessary to acquaint a new operator with the functions of a machine, it may be inadequate and problematic. In particular, the help button feature does not provide any information about available operating modes of the machine or the current operating mode of the machine. In addition, the help button feature is only useful in learning about other buttons on the same display screen and provides no information about operator interface devices of the machine that are not part of the same display screen. Further, the '389 patent does not describe any way of controlling operation of the help button feature during an operating process of the machine. In other words, if, during a particular operation of the machine, an operator desires to learn about a function of the machine and depresses the help button followed by the function button on the display, the operator may unintentionally activate the function, when only information was desired.
The operator interface of the present disclosure solves one or more of the problems set forth above.